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Every year, the Texas Department of Transportation records statistics on a number of subjects -- one of them being fatal automobile accidents. The state has not yet released the 2017 numbers, but the 2016 numbers show that serious or fatal car accidents happen all too often in Texas.
What do the numbers say? What is causing these accidents? What can victims or -- in the event of fatality -- their surviving family members do after the fact? Can they seek relief for their losses?
The issue of distracted driving isn't new. Since cars took to the road, drivers' attention has wandered away from the road and caused accidents. Since people began talking to passengers, eating, shaving or even reading a newspaper, the danger existed.
However, technological advances in recent years increased instances of distracted driving, with serious and deadly consequences. The technology that should make life easier also involves complicated maneuvers to use, which creates significant distractions. In 2017, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released research regarding technology and distracted driving.
Staying connected has often been a goal of many people. With loved ones and friends living far apart, it is not unusual for parties to want to find ways in which they can easily communicate and stay updated on recent personal news. With social media and apps within arm's reach, constant communication has never been easier.
Cell phones can easily allow you and others to conduct many different activities simply using a device in the palm of your hand. If you need to ask a quick question to a friend, you can simply send a text. If you need to give a general update about your day, you can post to social media. Even if you need to check your bank account, you can likely access an app that gives you information regarding your balances. Though this may seem convenient, when is cell phone use too much?
Sadly, as you may be aware, Texas regularly leads the nation in DWI fatalities. Of course, you already know the dangers of driving while intoxicated and the increased risk it means for both you and any passengers, not to mention everyone else on the road, pedestrians included. You know how important it is to arrange alternate transportation ahead of time if you're going to be drinking. If nothing else, you can call an Uber.
What you may be less certain of, however, is how to spot when another driver on the road has been drinking. Perhaps even more important is knowing what to do about it. Figuring out the signs of impaired driving can help you take preventative measures, if necessary, to keep you and your passengers safe, and reporting a drunk driver to the appropriate authorities can potentially save the lives of any number of others.
Every driver in Texas will likely admit to getting behind the wheel while in a hurry and driving a bit too fast at least once. However, as you know, speeding is dangerous, and the reality is that driving too fast greatly increases the chance of a car accident and the severity of a collision.
If you were hurt in an accident caused by a speeding driver, you have options. Victims of excessive speed are able to hold liable drivers accountable through personal injury claims. You have no time to lose in ensuring the protection of your rights and learning more about your options for obtaining compensation after an accident.
Distracted driving accidents have been on the rise in Texas and across the country, despite increased education and law enforcement efforts. While not necessarily as risky as distraction behind the wheel, distraction on the part of pedestrians is also an issue.
In fact, statistics show an 11-percent increase in the number of pedestrians killed in the United States last year, and pedestrian distraction was a contributing factor.
Driving in the Dallas area can be a challenge at times. Highways and interstates are often heavily laden with traffic, and chances are you have witnessed some close calls. No matter how cautious you are, your best efforts may not be enough to avoid a collision, especially if a distracted driver is in your midst.
Anytime a driver takes hands off the wheel, mind off the task of driving, or eyes away from the road, that driver is distracted.
Following the lead of other states across the nation, Texas recently enacted a statewide texting-while-driving ban. As of Sept. 1, it is now illegal to text while driving in Texas. A number of cities had already passed distracted driving ordinances, but state lawmakers had struggled to get a law passed until Gov. Abbott signed the new law in June.
It's important to understand that each year thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries are caused by distracted driving nationwide. Now Texas law recognizes the dangers of texting behind the wheel.
These days people live their lives constantly attached to their cellphones, and in many ways, cellphones make aspects of life more convenient.
On the other hand, mobile devices also cause a considerable amount of distraction, particularly when it comes to driving.
Distraction is a threat to every Texas motorist, including you. Drivers who choose to participate in a distracting behavior can cause devastating harm, even in a matter of a few seconds of distraction.
Technically, distracted driving is any type of behavior that takes a driver's attention from the road and the obligation to drive safely. All forms of distraction fall into at least one of three main categories, and every form of distraction is preventable, negligent and dangerous for every person on the road.
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